8th Maine News

8th MAINE EURO DECALS are HERE ! ! !
$5 for Members & Friends, $7 for public. Order them from our new online Catalog.

Now with FREE domestic calling and Time Warner Cable Television available in our lounge in addition to our first on Peak's WIFI service.

Building Update:
2009 was a busy year for building projects including:

Purchased a new refrigerator;
Painted room 102 in the annex;
Painted annex hallway;
Painted 4 chairs in dining room
Repaired & painted landside porch facia and railing;
Painted railings around front horseshoe;
Repaired seaside porch door;
Repaired and refitted windows in room 6 and 7;
Repaired annex toilet;
Repaired dresser in room 7;
Repaired railings that fell this winter;
Repaired seaside door shutter;
Replaced wiring & 2 large burners on electric range;
Authorized for fall work list: storm window installation on lower tower room, handrail extension for new decking and decking repairs on the front, west side of the veranda.


Web Site:
Learn more about George Foster Robinson – our Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
We have lots of new links for information related to the service of the 8th Maine.

Books:
We got two new books with information on the 8th Maine’s service in Virginia from 1863 until the surrender at Appomattox in 1865. The first is Back Door to Richmond – The Bermuda Hundred Campaign, April – June 1864 by William Glenn Robertson. The second book is Army of Amateurs: General Benjamin F. Butler and the Army of the James, 1863 – 1865 by Edward G. Longacre.

Both books talk about how the conflicts between the three commanders led to the mediocre military record of the Army of the James. Major General Butler was a civilian who was appointed commander of the Army of the James by Abraham Lincoln in an attempt to eliminate him as a rival to his re-election campaign. Butler was a brilliant politician and administrator, but he had no military experience in command of troops.

Before joining the Army of the James, the 8th served under Major General Quincy Gilmore in their blockade role on the coast of South Carolina. Gilmore used his knowledge of modern artillery capability to successfully capture Fort Pulaski, but he too had little experience leading troops in the field and had consistently experienced failures since that early success.

Finally, the irascible Major General William “Baldy” F. Smith was a favorite of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and he was supposed to be the anchor of experience that would lead the Army of the James to success. However, supply logistics Smith’s strength in aiding Grant in Tennessee did not lead to success in leading troops and solving the command issues of the Army of the James. And even his mentor, Grant, fell victim to Smith’s scorn after what he felt was the senseless slaughter of his troops at Cold Harbor. Smith’s unrelenting anger at Grant and Meade eventually led to his removal from command.

Edward G. Longacre does a fine job of recording the full service of the Army of the James through Lee’s surrender and putting their military and social service in perspective. He treats the controversies over Butler and the perceived military failures fairly, but also recognizes the many successes they achieved even if they did not lead to the success that Butler sought to and Lincoln feared would launch him to the Presidency of the United States.